Vic Hadfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vic Hadfield |
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| Born | October 4, 1940 Oakville, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 174 lb (79 kg; 12 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | New York Rangers Pittsburgh Penguins |
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| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| Playing career | 1959–1977 | ||
Victor Edward Hadfield (born October 4, 1940) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played for sixteen years in the National Hockey League (NHL). He spent most of his career, thirteen years, with the New York Rangers. He also played three years with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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Early Hockey Days
Vic Hadfield started playing hockey in his hometown of Oakville, Ontario. He then joined the Dixie Bee Hives for one season. The Chicago Black Hawks team signed him. They sent him to their junior team, the St. Catharines Teepees. This team was part of the Ontario Hockey League.
Vic quickly became known for his strong, physical play. He often spent more time in the penalty box than scoring points! In the 1959–60 season, his team was very strong. It included future NHL stars like Chico Maki and Roger Crozier. Vic scored about one point per game that season. He also got many penalty minutes in the playoffs. His team won the Memorial Cup, which is a big championship for junior hockey.
After junior hockey, Vic played for the Buffalo Bisons. This team was in the American Hockey League. The New York Rangers then picked him in a special draft in 1961.
Playing in the NHL
By the 1963–64 season, Vic Hadfield had a regular spot with the New York Rangers. At first, he was known as an "enforcer." This meant he was good at protecting his teammates and getting into fights if needed. But over time, he focused more on scoring goals.
He joined two other great players, Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert. Together, they formed a famous line called the GAG line. "GAG" stood for "Goal A Game," because they scored so much! From the 1967–68 season onwards, Vic always scored at least 20 goals in a full season.
His best season was 1971–72. He became the team's captain that year. He was the first Ranger to score 50 goals in a single season. Only five other NHL players had done this before him! With Ratelle and Gilbert, the GAG Line scored a total of 139 goals. They helped the Rangers reach the Stanley Cup Finals that year.
After this amazing season, the Rangers signed Vic to a big contract. This was to make sure he stayed with them. He was later traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1974. He scored 30 goals in each of his first two seasons with the Penguins. However, he had some injuries and weight problems. A knee injury near the end of the 1975–76 season made him retire from playing.
Life After Hockey
When Vic Hadfield retired, he was one of the top players in Rangers history. He was fourth in goals, assists, and total points. Only his linemates Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert, and Andy Bathgate, had more. He was also second in penalty minutes. Today, he is still ninth in scoring for the Rangers. He is also third in penalty minutes.
Vic's younger brother, Carl, was also drafted by the Chicago Black Hawks.
Today, Vic Hadfield owns a driving range and teaching center. It is in Oakville, Ontario, his hometown.
In 2009, a book called 100 Ranger Greats was published. It ranked Vic Hadfield as the 20th best player in the history of the New York Rangers.
The Rangers honored Vic by retiring his jersey number 11. This means no other player on the Rangers will ever wear that number again. They did this on December 2, 2018.
Playing for Canada
After his great 1971–72 season, Vic was chosen to play for Team Canada. This was for the 1972 Summit Series. This was a special series of games against the Soviet Union. Vic played in only two games. He left the team early and went home. This caused some people to criticize him.
Family Life
Vic's grandson, also named Victor Hadfield, is also an ice hockey player. He plays as a defenseman for the Indy Fuel in the ECHL. He has also played for the Barrie Colts in the OHL. He also played for the Manitoba Moose in the AHL.
Awards and Achievements
- OHA-Jr. first All-Star team (1960)
- NHL Second All-Star team (1972)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (1965, 1972)
